This invention relates to game balls, and, more particularly, to an inflatable game ball with laid-in channels and/or logo.
Game balls such as basketballs, soccer balls, and footballs conventionally include an inflatable bladder and a cover. The bladder may be reinforced with windings of nylon thread, polyester thread, etc. The cover is conventionally formed from panels of cover material, for example, leather, synthetic leather, or rubber. Adjacent panels are separated by rubber channels.
The portion of the ball excluding the cover is conventionally referred to as the carcass. Historically, basketballs have been made by first forming an inflatable rubber bladder, inflating the bladder, and molding the bladder under heat and pressure to vulcanize the rubber. After the bladder is removed from the mold, the bladder is wound with reinforcing thread which forms a layer of windings. The thread may be dipped in latex or adhesive. Pieces of rubber are then laid over the wound bladder, and the rubber-covered wound bladder is molded under heat and pressure to vulcanize or cure the pieces of rubber and to fuse the pieces of rubber to each other and to the layer of windings. The molded product is the carcass.
The surface of the carcass mold is provided with grooves which form upwardly extending projections on the surface of the carcass. The projections will form the seams or channels of the completed ball. Panels of cover material are laid into the areas of the carcass between the channels, and the covered carcass is placed in a mold having the shape of the completed ball to form the ball under heat and pressure.
In order to improve a player's ability to grip the ball and to reduce the shock of impact, the carcasses of some game balls have included cushion material, for example, sponge rubber. U.S. Pat. No. 5,636,835 describes a basketball in which the carcass includes an inflatable bladder, a layer of windings over the bladder, a layer of sponge rubber, and strips of seam material. The completed carcass is illustrated in FIG. 5 of the patent, and the carcass is molded so that a raised central portion 22 is formed on each strip of seam material. After the carcass is formed, cover panels are attached to the carcass between the raised portions 22 of the seam material.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,681,233 describes another basketball which includes a layer of sponge rubber. However, panels of sponge rubber are spaced-apart in the areas of the channels, and rubber channel strips are positioned in the gaps and are secured directly to the wound bladder. The carcass includes the wound bladder, the layer of sponge rubber, and the strips of channel material. The carcass is molded under heat and pressure. After the carcass is formed, panels of cover material are laid over the sponge rubber.
A major problem with prior art inflatable game balls is that the channels which separate the cover panels are part of the molded carcass. The material of the channels has relatively poor grippability and a relatively low coefficient of friction compared to the material of the cover panels. The channels are relatively slippery and limit the grip and feel of the ball.
Another problem with inflatable game balls is caused when a logo such as a brand name, trademark, design, or other indicia is applied to the cover. Many logos are applied with a decal which includes a layer of ink on a release liner. The decal is pressed onto the cover of the ball and heat may be applied. When the release liner is peeled away, the ink remains on the cover. However, the ink is usually more slippery than the cover and interferes with grip and feel.